USMEF Holds Armenia’s First Professional U.S. Beef Master Class in Yerevan
On March 16, USMEF held Armenia’s first professional master class dedicated to U.S. beef at the Armenia Marriott Hotel in downtown Yerevan. Organized for HRI professionals, the event marked an important step in the promotion of U.S. beef in the Armenian market.
The master class was led by chef-consultant Konstantin Zhbakov, a meat specialist with extensive experience working with U.S. beef and a graduate of the Beef 101 program in Texas. During the event, he introduced participants to a range of U.S. beef cuts and muscles, shared practical approaches to portion control and muscle utilization, and demonstrated cooking methods, sauces, and garnishes for both premium and alternative cuts.
The program was designed to showcase the broad culinary and commercial potential of U.S. beef for the restaurant sector.
The menu featured eight-hour beef brisket served in two variations, classic striploin roast beef, Tex-Mex style flank steak, Top Sirloin with chimichurri sauce, Flat Iron steak, several striploin steak applications, and ribeye options including cowboy steak and ribeye roll.
Chargé d’Affaires David Allen and colleagues from the U.S. embassies in Yerevan and Tbilisi attended the event. Allen delivered welcome remarks and later joined Konstantin Zhbakov in fabricating bone-in ribeye and grilling cowboy steak.
A total of 78 restaurateurs, chefs, sous chefs, technologists, and meat buyers attended the workshop. Participants received information on the U.S. beef industry, USDA safety and grading programs, the key factors behind the consistent high quality of U.S. beef, beef aging, and the use of various cuts in HRI and foodservice.
The event also underscored the beginning of practical market development in Armenia. The first shipments of U.S. beef arrived in the country in late February through Cult Wines, an Armenian importer already known for bringing in U.S. wines from California and other states.
USMEF views Armenia as one of the region’s promising markets thanks to its developed hospitality industry, expanding HRI segment, and growing tourism flow, all of which contribute to stronger demand for premium products such as U.S. beef.
Source: USMEF
